Prince William Fast Facts

CNN Library

Updated 2:15 PM ET, Sat June 6, 2015

Photos: Prince William through the years34 photos

Prince William through the years – As the first-born child to the late Princess Diana and the Prince of Wales and second in line to the British throne, Prince William has never been far from the public eye. Click through the gallery for a look back at every year of his life so far.

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Prince William through the years – Prince Charles and Princess Diana leave St. Mary's Hospital in London with Prince William on June 22, 1982. A bulletin announced that the royal baby weighed 7 pounds, 1 1/2 ounces.

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Prince William through the years – Prince William takes his first steps in public with his parents in the walled garden at Kensington Palace on December 14, 1983.

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Prince William through the years – Accompanied by his nanny Barbara Barnes, Price William waves as he leaves St. Mary's Hospital after visiting his mother and his newborn brother, Prince Harry, on September 16, 1984.

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Prince William through the years – From the balcony of Buckingham Palace, a young Prince William watches the Trooping of the Color in 1985 with Lady Gabriella Windsor, left, and Lady Zara Phillips.

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Prince William through the years – Prince William waves from a carriage en route to the wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson on July 23, 1986.

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Prince William through the years – Wearing a regulation school uniform, Prince William waves to the press on his first day at Wetherby School on January 15, 1987.

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Prince William through the years – In 1988, Prince Charles and Princess Diana visit Palma De Mallorca, Spain, with their two sons.

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Prince William through the years – Prince William and Prince Harry ride bicycles with their parents in 1989 while on holiday in the Scilly Isles.

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Prince William through the years – On a private beach in 1990, Prince William shovels sand onto his mother. Photos of the young prince with his adoring mother were common as media interest swelled.

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Prince William through the years – Prince William and Prince Harry wave from the deck of the Royal Yacht Britannia in 1991.

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Prince William through the years – Princess Diana and Prince William wait for Prince Harry after attending the annual Easter Sunday church service in 1992 at St. Georges Chapel inside Windsor Castle.

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Prince William through the years – Prince William grimaces after riding Splash Mountain at Disney World's Magic Kindom in Florida. He was with friends of the royal family on a three-day vacation in 1993.

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Prince William through the years – Accompanied by Prince William, Princess Diana arrives at Wimbledon before the start of the women's singles final in 1994.

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Prince William through the years – Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William and Prince Charles attend a service commemorating VJ Day outside Buckingham Palace in August 1995. The event was in honor of the day Japan surrendered to Allied forces, effectively ending World War II.

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Prince William through the years – Prince Charles and Prince Harry, at left, stand for anthems as Prince William, right, looks around during the Wales-Scotland game in the 1996 Five Nations rugby championship.

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Prince William through the years – At age 15, Prince William and his brother Harry, 12, bow their heads after their mother's funeral at Westminster Abbey on September 6, 1997. Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris that August.

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Prince William through the years – Prince William receives flowers from an adoring crowd in Vancouver on March 24, 1998. He was on a weeklong vacation with his father and brother, though they also made time for official engagements.

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Prince William through the years – Britain's Queen Mother joins Prince Charles and his sons during an occasion marking her 99th birthday at her London residence in 1999.

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Prince William through the years – Prince William hammers a log while helping construct walkways in a remote village in Chile during his Raleigh International expedition in 2000.

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Prince William through the years – In 2001, Prince William, left, and Prince Harry take part in an exhibition polo match in Gloucestershire, England.

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Prince William through the years – The royal family stand vigil besides the Queen Mother's coffin at Westminster Hall on April 8, 2002. Prince William, right, stands alongside Prince Harry, Princess Anne and Sophie of Wessex.

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Prince William through the years – A London officeworker licks a first-class stamp that was issued to mark Prince William's 21st birthday in 2003. Commemorative coins were also minted for the occassion.

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Prince William through the years – Prince William makes his water polo debut for the Scottish national universities squad in the annual Celtic Nations tournament in 2004.

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Prince William through the years – In 2005, Prince William graduates from St. Andrews University in Scotland with a degree in geography.

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Prince William through the years – Queen Elizabeth glances up at her grandson, right, as she inspects the parade at the Royal Military Academy in 2006. Prince William graduated as an Army officer and later went on to receive his Royal Air Force pilot's wings

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Prince William through the years – Prince William and Prince Harry speak on stage with Sir Elton John, far left, during a concert they put on to celebrate Princess Diana on July 1, 2007. The event fell on what would have been their mother's 46th birthday and marked 10 years since her death.

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Prince William through the years – Prince William sports a beard for the first time in public at a Christmas Day church service in 2008. He was clean-shaven by early January.

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Prince William through the years – Prince William walks with a group of homeless people during a 2009 hike with Centrepoint, the United Kingdom's largest youth charity for the homeless. William became the patron of the organization in 2005.

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Prince William through the years – During his first official overseas visit, Prince William is welcomed to Sydney with a traditional smoke ceremony by local Aboriginal elder Uncle Max in 2010.

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Prince William through the years – After their wedding service, Prince William kisses his wife, Kate Middleton, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on April 29, 2011.

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Prince William through the years – Prince William throws a foam javelin as his wife, now the Duchess of Cambridge, stands at his side during a visit to Nottingham, England, on June 13, 2012. The couple were in the city as part of Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee tour, marking the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne.

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Prince William through the years – The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge depart St. Mary's Hospital in London with their newborn son on July 23, 2013. Prince George was born a day earlier, weighing 8 pounds, 6 ounces.

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Prince William through the years – Prince George and his parents celebrate his first birthday at a butterfly exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London on July 2.

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Here's a look at the life of Prince William, who is second in line to the British throne.

Education: University of St. Andrews, in Scotland, 2001-2005, MA, Geography; Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, 2006

Military: British Army, Captain-Household Cavalry; Royal Air Force, Lieutenant, 2006-2013

Other Facts:He has achieved the highest educational degree, Masters of Arts, of any member of the royal family.

During his military career, participated in more than 150 helicopter search and rescue operations.

Full title: His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, Baron Carrickfergus, Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

Timeline:2000-2001 - Prince William spends his "gap year" in Belize, working on a farm in the United Kingdom, helping in community projects with other young people in a remote area of Chile, and visiting countries in Africa.

June 2005 - Graduates with honors from St. Andrews University in Scotland with a degree in geography.

September 2005 - Becomes the patron of Centrepoint, the UK's largest youth charity for the homeless.

December 2005- Becomes the patron of the Tusk Trust, a UK-based African conservation charity.

December 12, 2006 - Prince William and Prince Harry announce their plans for a concert and memorial service to mark the tenth anniversary of their mother's death. The Concert for Diana is held on July 1, 2007, and features Elton John and Duran Duran. The memorial service takes place on August 31st.

December 15, 2006 - Graduates as an Army officer from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and joins the Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals) as a Second Lieutenant.

June 21, 2007 - Prince William turns 25 and gains access to almost £250,000 ($500,000) a year of his mother's fortune. He also no longer has to get the Queen's consent to get married.

April 11, 2008 - Prince William receives Royal Air Force pilot's wings.

April 27, 2008 - Prince William secretly travels to Afghanistan aboard a C-17 transport plane and receives a briefing on military operations. Reportedly, he pilots the plane during part of the flight and escorts the body of Queens Royal Lancer, Trooper Robert Pearson to his family.

June 2-September 8, 2008 - Prince William serves a two-month attachment with the Royal Navy in the Caribbean. William is known as Sub Lieutenant Wales on the ship, whose mission is counter-narcotics and hurricane relief.

June 16, 2008 - Is invested as a 'Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter'. He becomes the youngest knight and 1,000th member in the world's oldest order of chivalry, started in 1348.

February 2010 - Prince William becomes the new president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

November 16, 2010 - Prince Charles announces the engagement of Prince William to his longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton.

April 29, 2011 -The Queen confers a Dukedom on Prince William of Wales. His titles will be Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus.

June 2011 - The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge make an apartment on the grounds of Kensington Palace their London home.

June 30-July 8, 2011 - First official trip to a foreign country for the royal couple, to Canada.

July 8-10, 2011 - The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Los Angeles for a three day visit. During the trip the Duke plays and wins a polo match and the couple visits Hollywood and Skid Row.

June 7, 2012 - William qualifies as an operational captain with the Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Force. He is now able to command search and rescue operations by helicopter.

September 17, 2012 - Along with his wife, Prince William files a criminal complaint in France against the photographer who took pictures of the Duchess privately sunbathing topless. They are seeking damages and to prevent further publication of the photos. The French magazine, Closer, Italian magazine, Chi, and the Irish Daily Star have each published some of the topless photos.

July 22, 2013 -Duchess Catherine gives birth to the couple's first child, a son weighing 8 lbs, 6 oz. The baby is named Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge.

September 12, 2013 -Kensington Palace officials announce that William has left the British military. He will now focus on charity work and his royal duties.

August 7, 2014 - It is announced that Prince William will start training in September to become an air ambulance pilot, a year after leaving the Royal Air Force, where he flew search and rescue helicopters. His first air ambulance shift will be in spring 2015. It's the first time a royal who's in direct line to the throne has taken a civilian job. The East Anglian Air Ambulance is operated by a private company, Bond Air Services, but the Duke will donate his salary to charity.

May 2, 2015 - Duchess Catherine gives birth to the couple's second child, a girl weighing 8 lbs, 3 oz. She is named Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge.